Beginner Body Weight Workout: Lose Weight, Build Muscle ANYWHERE!

So you want to get in shape, but you have no gym membership and don’t know what to do.

Ruh roh…

That’s fine, you don’t need one to get in great shape! You can work out anywhere, like me in the photo above, doing push-ups on a cliff in South Africa. Because why not!

Commercial gyms are tough places to work out anyways:

They’re home to pushy salesman, intimidating jacked dudes grunting into a mirror, and other members that aren’t very welcoming.

Luckily, you can burn fat, build muscle, and get a great workout using just your body weight – no gym required.

Cardio can actually be one of the least efficient methods of burning calories (which I explain below).

Why not give bodyweight training a try and be more efficient with your time?

We know starting with this stuff can be intimidating, which is why we’ve built a 7-level, no-gym required, bodyweight training system (with boss battles, workout plans, HD-video demonstrations, a nutrition and mindset roadmap, and supportive community) in our flagship course The Nerd Fitness Academy.

Today however, you can get started with our free bodyweight circuit below in the comfort of your own home: you’ll complete one exercise right after the other without stopping, you’re both building muscle and getting a cardiovascular workout.

Combine that with a good diet and you got yourself a kick-ass plan to follow!

Essentially, circuit weight training, or circuit bodyweight training, burns more calories than interval training, and that in turn burns WAY more calories than steady cardio. When you strength train, you burn calories. Then, your body needs to spend hours and hours afterwards rebuilding your muscles, which in turns burns even more calories (they call this the ‘afterburn effect).

As we cover in the Academy and throughout Nerd Fitness, our nutrition will account for 80-90% of our success or failure when it comes to getting in shape, might as well spend our time exercising being efficient and strong, right?

If you’re trying to lose weight, spending hours doing cardio on a treadmill is a really crappy, boring, inefficient use of your time.

If you’re a busy person (and I know you are), why spend hours doing something when you can be MORE efficient and build a better physique with less time?

Enter the beginner bodyweight workout.

I’m going to take you through a basic workout today that can be completed in your house, apartment, out at a park, in your basement, on the moon, wherever.

As always, make sure you are cleared by your personal physician for physical activity before attempting these exercises.

Beginner Body Weight Workout

This is a basic body weight circuit.

In a circuit routine, you’ll do each exercise in succession without a break in between (if you’re able). Once you’ve finished all exercises in the circuit, do it again.

If you’re still able after the 2nd run through, go for a third.

Because all of these exercises come one after another, you’re bound to get tired – and that’s okay! We all start somewhere.

It’s better to stop and take a break than to do an exercise incorrectly. If you can’t do all three circuits without stopping, great! That gives you something to work towards.

Before you start, don’t forget WARM UP – Never ever ever ever forget to warm up. Make sure to get your heart rate pumping and get your muscles warm or you’re just asking for injury.

You can run in place, jump rope, do a few push ups, pedal on a stationary bike, do some punches and kicks, jog up and down your stairs, and/or twist and swing your arms and legs to get them moving! Give it about 5 minutes, and don’t wear yourself out completely, but get your heart rate elevated and little bit of sweat never hurt anybody.

After the warm up, here is exactly what you need to do:

20 bodyweight squats

10 push ups

20 walking lunges – 10 each leg

10 dumbbell rows (using a gallon milk jug or another weight)

15 second plank

30 jumping jacks

After you’ve completed your workout, do some stretches. All of your muscles have been contracted from lifting and need to be stretched back out and rebuilt.

For either the body weight squats or lunges, if you can’t do them properly yet, it’s okay to put your hand on a support to keep your balance.

For the body weight squats, think of it like sitting back into a chair. If you can sit down onto a chair, and then stand immediately right back up without having to lean forward, you are in balance.

For the lunges, keep your eyes ahead and your upper body completely vertical. I had a slight bend at times in the video due to trying to exercise and explain at the same time.

I used a milk jug for my dumbbell, but you can use whatever is heavy enough for you. Find something that is challenging to lift 10 times in a row.

Do this routine 2-3 times a week, but never on consecutive days. You don’t build muscle when you’re exercising, you build muscle when you’re resting.

Generally I like follow a pattern of strength training on one day, then 20 minutes of interval training on the next, then strength training, then interval training, and so on.

Generally, I try not to do a strength training routine (of the same muscle groups) two days in a row, as your muscles need plenty of time to recover.

Along with this routine, you need to make sure you’re eating properly!

Your diet is at least 80% of your success or failure. I’m not kidding when I say that. If you don’t develop a healthier relationship with food, no amount of exercise will get you there.

It’s why we developed a 10-level nutrition system and mindset blueprint in the Academy, but you can start today by just making adjustments to your food currently:

Sugar is worse than Jar Jar Binks – cut back on sugar and liquid calories wherever you can. The stuff is in everything!

Swap out the grains on your plate for vegetables when you can

Make sure you get enough protein each day – this helps with rebuilding muscles and things like that.

Help Me Help You

Thanks for reading up to this point – I hope you had a great time getting stronger and challenging yourself in a new way. Strength Training is one of the pillars of Nerd Fitness – it makes literally every part of life better, will improve your physique, help you lose fat and build strength and muscle, and it can be done quickly, anywhere.

Stick with it! Do this routine a few times a week and note how much better you get at it.

If doing just one circuit of the workout was really challenging, read the PS below. We’ve got you covered!

-Steve

PS: If you’re looking for tons of bodyweight workout plans (with different levels of difficulty), high definition video demonstrations of each exercise, boss battles, a full questing system, more than a dozen more workouts, and a full guide on how to eat properly, check out the Nerd Fitness Academy!

I’m afraid to try it. I’m afraid I won’t do it correctly, that I won’t be able to complete the workout or that I will just give up. I seem to always give up. The doctor said I need to lose 2lbs a week until I have lost the weight. But he didn’t give me any directions on how to do it, so I’m on my own. I’m 225lbs and I should be around 130lbs. I spent most of my 20’s drinking soda and playing DAoC, the best game ever. I was very thin. I had my twins, gave up the soda and the game and became a fat housewife. I feel bad for my husband. He’s in great shape, runs, walks and works very hard. I’m lucky to have such a good looking man in my life. I want him to be able to say the same thing. Except the man part lol… what am I so afraid of? Probably failure. I don’t know how to get past that. Any advice?
Thanks,
Carrie

Michelle

The plank will be the death of me. I’m very top heavy. (Putting it nicely) Is there anything I can do to replace or make this easier until I build up my upper body strength?

http://www.washburnwriter.com/ Shawn Washburn

Great video and info, Steve. Just starting to get into your site and all that it offers. I love it. Did I hear Carbon Leaf on the video?

silverwolf64

I’m not the author but I had a cross country coach who made us do core/abdominal workouts all the time. An easy way to modify the plank is to go ahead and put your knees down, you’ll want to keep your body at a bit of an angle to keeping working the core though.

Comaye Graham

Awesome workout Steve. I’m new to the rebellion just completed day 4. I’ve got some experience working out on and off over the years but I’ve been inactive the past few years resulting in a big gut. I almost gave up on the 2nd round but I sticked to it and completed all 3 in exactly 20 mins. Aiming to get down to like 12-15% body fat. Thanks for the work you’re doing.

mynty

I like this basic set of movements. However watching you get up and down makes me a little sick. You see I am 67 and have way too many problems including a knee that needs replacing and a body that will not just jump up and down. I am seeing a nutritionist and trying to get my diet on line. I walk in the supermarket with a basket to lean on for balance. Yesterday I walked 1/4 mile with a rest midway. This is the longest distance I’ve walked in a long time ( half up hill and then back down). But your floor exercises are just too hard for me to get down there and then back up from. I’ve had both shoulders operated on and one knee replaced (the other needs it according to the doctors) and my hips don’t work well. I am very overweight and have diabetes as well as other problems. Is there help for me????

Jmsintexas

Just did it for the first time. Looks so easy and effortless in the video. I got through one circuit, and that’s only because I cut the lunges short. Can’t wait to do it a little better in a few days.

Diya

This is a great beginner’s guide! I have a question. I want to work out mainly just to increase my stamina and build some muscle (not lose weight). I’m concerned if there are any vitamins that we would need to take while doing this routine. I get tired easy and my mom often comments that I’m “weak”. Not sure if you can answer this but just want to put it out there!
Thanks

http://www.timmalonenow.com Lowbar77

Nice, I appreciate that you take into consideration peoples issues and give alternate workout suggestions without judgement. Makes it easy to hear what you are saying. Keep up the great work.

I’d like to sub “let me ins” (door handle pull-ins) or under-table pull-ups for the dumbbell rows. Is that an appropriate substitution?

Gayle Abrams

My doctor gave me 3 exercises to do when I started working out: Squats, bench press (because I couldnt do a push up) and overhead press. I did these three for months, adding weight, but I started getting bored. I did this beginner body weight workout because I was trying to mix it up. I didn’t think it would be hard as I was doing 110lb barbell squats, but man was I sweating! I felt really good after this and I was able to do push ups! Thanks!

Vu Hoang Dao

Steve, so how heavy does my juice bottle have to be to become a dumbbell

Kami

Could I do each exercise to failure or is that detrimental to progression?

sureshwalsh

Good post. You have kept it very simple and the one thing I liked very much is when you said “You build muscle when you rest”. Being new to workouts, I always think that I need to workout daily. I am going to have an off day here and there to give rest for my muscles and allow it to grow. Please visit my blog at http://bit.ly/1Skt7c3 and provide your thoughts on the list of high protein foods.

http://www.defensesoap.com/ Amanda@DefenseSoap

Hey such an nice post. These exercise is important for beginner’s.

Isaac Grosof

Thank you, this was quite useful.

J.S. Faulkner

Thank you so much for this. Not only the gymless exercises, but the geek themed program, it’s really helping me stick with it so far. 5 day streak isn’t long but trust me it is for me.

J.S. Faulkner

I would say you’re getting in your own way. And I would only say that because I do the exact same thing. The best advice I’ve gotten so far is to not depend on motivation or be deterred by fear. Not doing the exercises correctly is better than no exercise at all. (Within limits, don’t overdo it.) If you’re really that worried about it, shell out $100 once to go see a doctor specifically about how to work out properly. Or join the YMCA for a month and take advantage of their training program just long enough to know how to do things. I hope this helps a little.

http://alphanation.com Caitlin Stephens

Hi Steve, your blog is really nice and informative. But Steve u most doing something wrong. If you do three to five sets of a few different exercises that hit the same muscle groups u will gain. To much will give u joint problems later in life.

Josh Black

Just found nerd fitness a few days ago and I absolutely love this. Me, my wife and even my kids are into this.

cinder1freq4n3ella

Would it be good if I did this in the morning and then maybe a 30 minute cardio later on in the day? And say, if I did this routine one day, what muscle groups/routine could I train the following day? ..(if I wanted to do some strength training two days in a row)

Casper

This has been a really good place for me to start (I am total n00b). I had a lovely friend do it with me sometimes. For us ladies who are a little light on the upper body strength, 10 pushups is laughably hard. I opted for elevated pushups, which are a little harder than the knee variation and much more likely to get me into the shape I need to be able to do proper good-form regular pushups.

Julianne

hi, I was hoping you would be able to give me advice on how to build muscle and lose fat most effectively. I am 5’6″ an weight between 112-115 and would like to tone myself more. This work out was helpful but is it the best one for my goal?

Donalbain

I am about to start this regime so wish me luck! But I will be exercising alone, and I have a question.. how important is “form” and how can I make sure I am keeping it up while working?

Diaris

Dumb queen

Belasaurius

Is there something to sub for jumping jacks?I have metatarsalgia in both feet and jumping up and down ain’t the best thing for that

James Oldfield

What do I do if I just want to work out my muscles without losing weight? Can I get strong muscles without losing weight and becoming not fat? I don’t want to change my diet. I don’t care if I die young of a heart attack. I just want to work out my muscles to stop them from hurting and so that I can carry groceries cos right now I can’t walk much and I can’t really carry anything.

Yea! I did it. I have been trying to get myself to start lifting weights (or body weight) again for a while. I’m really hoping The Rebellion can help me stick with it.

http://ironandgrit.com Hozzy

Awesome post! This is a great starting point for aspiring trainers!

Dillip Mohanty

This one is a beginner strength workout. Please share some beginner cardio/intrval training ex which i can alternate with this.

Paleo chic

I am a paleo fan and like the workout routines. I’ve started using the 8fit app. It is a different brief workout each day most last less than 15 mins. And work different areas of the body.

frenzy

Hey Steve,
Great video! I just wanted to know, is this workout combined with a diet enough to lose fat?
Thanks

Rajput ABHISHEK

Hey there First off all thanks for this video.I just wanted to know that i did those body squats for first time and i can do 20 of those but after doing them for 2-3 days my thighs started paining.Should i continue or stop doing those?

Penny Ekegren

I am 64 years old and like to walk. But I have gained weight since I retired and I admit that I have been eating quite badly.
I’d like to get in better shape, lose 40 pounds, and look better in clothes that don’t look like they were made for fat old women!
I just did the beginning weight workout two times through. I did the push ups against a wall, standing up. There is NO way I can do a plank AT ALL right now. So I got into a push up position on the floor and held it for 15 secs. The jumping jacks weren’t pretty. I have issues with both my knees and my back- so I am a bit afraid of injury. Any suggestions? I’ll take it slowly!!
But I believe that you are never too old to improve. Just remember that some of us cannot even do what you are asking and need to modify even more than you suggest in the video. Hopefully, I’ll get there though!!

Vincent Proud

I find these ‘easy’ to do, as in I’m more than physically strong enough to do them, but I get out of breath so easily. I can only do 2 circuits before I’m ready to die, but my muscles don’t hurt or feel really anything.
What do?

Used to be in great shape but that was twenty years ago looking for a good place to start again this looks great maybe add a few more reps to everything if it doesn’t fell like enough but gives me a good place to start I will try for a few weeks and check back in thanks for your time

suzeego

Thank you, did my walk today and your workout. Been away from the gym for a over a year since I was in a car accident. Your workout is perfect for getting back to it.

Priti

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Chloe

Thanks for that I quite enjoyed reading it. You’re very straight forward with how you explain things. I’ll keep a look out for any future blogs you do 🙂

Elizabeth

Great videos! Very informative and this was right up my alley. My only criticism is that the music is a little distracting. Maybe find some without lyrics?

http://www.robdogga55.com/ Robdogga55

Hey, I am considering giving this a go, just one question. Is diet really a big part of it, I know for starters I can give the rest a go but I don’t think right now I would be able to do a diet.

Larry Gorr

I’m 66 years old with a bad right knee, is there something I can do besides the jumping jacks, the other parts of the beginners workout I can do. Thoughts anyone?

Isobel

I’ve actually enjoyed doing this, which was honestly something I never thought I’d say. I didn’t start it to lose weight, I just wanted to get in shape somehow. The first time I tried I managed all three, but I also felt like I was going to fall over and die after. Now its been two weeks and I still feel like I’m going to fall over, but not like I’m going to die so I’ll assume I’m doing it right! ☺